IYHA is a USA Hockey sanctioned association created to:
A. Teach the game of hockey to youth in the Greater Ithaca area.
B. Provide the opportunity for youth to learn and play the game under established rules and regulations.
C. Promote and improve amateur ice hockey in the Ithaca area.
D. Develop and encourage sportsmanship and team play among participants.
IYHA is an officially sanctioned USA Hockey association. IYHA adheres to all the rules and regulations of USA Hockey. Please feel free to visit the USA Hockey website at http://www.usahockey.com.
Children can be signed up with IYHA as long as they turn 4 within the hockey season.
Yes, girls are definitely welcomed to play at IYHA! All of our teams are co-ed and we strongly support girls and women in sports and helping girls to achieve a high level of athleticism through the sport of hockey. Alternatively, if you desire to have your daughters play only with girls, feel free to visit the Tompkins Girls Hockey Association (TGHA) website at https://www.ithacagirlshockey.org/
No. IYHA schedules practice sessions and games either after school hours or at reasonable hours on weekends. IYHA makes every effort to schedule weekday practices to allow for after school travel and ensure that students get a good night's sleep (we are all parents and understand the need for proper rest).
Hockey is a lifelong sport that should not be thought to end at the scholastic level. There are many opportunities for adult leagues in Ithaca and beyond, wherever your skater may land in the future. IYHA provides age-based teams up through and including the high school years. Our goal is to not only create competitive teams and teach the game, but also to help foster a love for the sport that will last for many years.
IYHA "house" or "snowbelt" teams at the squirt/10U level and above will play approximately 20 – 30 games per hockey season (Oct – Mar). Approximately half of those games will involve travel, normally within the confines of central New York. As a rule, that will include at least one weekend-long tournament that could include hotel stays. Additional tournaments and games are normally a team decision. Travel/"select" teams will often play between 30 and 40 games a hockey season and have at least two weekend-long tournaments. Again, normal travel is within the central New York area.
Snowbelt:
IYHA is a Founding Member of the Snowbelt League of Central New York. Other communities in this league during past seasons have included Auburn, Camillus, Cazenovia, Cortland, Elmira, Fulton, Geneva, Hamilton, Midstate (Syracuse), Oswego, Salmon River, Skaneateles, Southern Tier (Binghamton), and Valley (South Syracuse). IYHA participates in this League at the Squirt (10U), PeeWee (12U), Bantam (14U) and Midget (16/18U) levels.
The Snowbelt Youth Hockey League has its own Constitution, Bylaws and Board of Directors. The philosophy of The Snowbelt Hockey League centers on the concept of equal ice time for all players. The other main objective of Snowbelt hockey is to promote the general rules of sportsmanship among participants. Snowbelt is a perfect fit for those players and their families that desire a lesser time commitment than we offer at the UNHYL or Travel programs.
There are no tryouts for Snowbelt; all interested players will be rostered on a team. The Snowbelt League Rules specify that all players on Snowbelt League teams receive equal playing time. Snowbelt is intended to offer the older House player a greater level of competition and hockey instruction than can be expected from strictly intramural play.
In previous seasons, Snowbelt teams are required to play 16 Qualifying games determined by the Snowbelt league and scheduled by association schedulers. Additional games are scheduled by the coaches and team managers. In addition, the Snowbelt league offers a playoff series. The league awards trophies for both regular season and playoff champions. Snowbelt teams may also register for several tournaments during the season. Such decisions are made at the team level.
Teams playing in the Snowbelt league will be placed in a division appropriate for their skill level. The number of divisions varies from age group to age groups. The Red Division normally contains higher performing teams. The White Division normally consists of teams from associations that balance their teams across skill levels, and the Blue Division normally consist of lesser skilled teams. IYHA has input but does not have final say over where teams are finally placed, we yield to the coaches to make a proper decision based on the skill level of their team.
Travel:
All IYHA Travel Teams are registered and play under the rules of USA Hockey and New York State Amateur Hockey Association. Travel Teams will be fielded in at PeeWee through Midget age divisions and will compete as "A or AA" division teams depending on the tournament or event. Travel Teams at PeeWee (12u) age and older are eligible for Sectional and State Tournament play provided they have played the requisite qualifier or "Q" games. Q games consist of a home & home series against other teams in the Central Section of the New York State Amateur Hockey Association.
Travel Team Hockey is intended to offer a highly competitive level of hockey for all players in the older age groups. The coaching philosophy focuses on developing advanced individual and team play skills. Coaches are not required to give all players equal playing time. However, each skater will play in every game. IYHA strives to maintain a balance between developing skilled hockey players and playing games competitively. IYHA Board meets with travel coaches prior to each season to discuss the association philosophy that meets the needs of developing players and fielding competitive teams.
Travel Team players are selected after a series of open tryouts. Coaches' selections are based on players' skills, attitude (coachable), and sportsmanship. Our travel coaches are committed to organizing a fair tryout process. Questions about tryouts should be directed to the ACE Coordinator. Players unable to attend tryouts due to an injury or participation in a Fall sport will be given an opportunity to tryout late, provided they notify the ACE Coordinator, in writing, of their request for a late tryout prior to the first open tryout. The final selection and notification of the results of the tryouts is the sole responsibility of the Travel (Select) Team Head Coach using the above criteria.
Players will be making a major commitment of time and energy to hockey during the season, which will begin in late September and will last until the end of Sectional, or State, or National Tournament play. Once selected, players are expected to fulfill their commitment to the team for the entire season. All players are subject to USA Hockey eligibility rules, and Travel Team rosters are limited to a maximum of twenty players. However, each coach, with IYHA Board consultation, will set his/her roster size. Coaches will establish players' positions and playing time.
IYHA charges parents only for the cost of ice time at the three local rinks. At the beginning of the year, the IYHA board anticipates the total amount of ice required for all teams, and develops a budget for teams based on a blended rate formula. All administrative and coaching functions are provided by volunteers. All skaters must register with USA Hockey, which provides for insurance coverage at all USA Hockey sanctioned events.
In general the following guidelines can be used:
As a rule of thumb a child can play with older skaters if their skill and attitude warrants it, WITH approval of the IYHA board AND Central Section New York State. Skaters may not play with younger skaters at Pee Wee and above, and only for a limited time at the squirt group.
No. Body Checking begins at the Bantam (14U) level, effective 2011-2012, Body Checking Rules for USA Hockey have changed. For more information, please visit USA Hockey web site at http://www.usahockey.com
IYHA has a limited supply of loaner gear (excluding skates) that is made available every year for Initiation, Mite and Squirt players. This equipment is made available first to scholarship families, and next on a first come first serve basis. Several local businesses both buy and sell viable used hockey gear. Mite and Initiation skaters are provided with a team jersey (paid for by generous sponsors) as soon as possible. Skaters may need practice jerseys until team jerseys are provided.
Yes, IYHA encourages family hockey! Volunteer coaches must register with USA Hockey, be screened by USA Hockey, and attend mandatory USA Hockey training (this may involve travel within New York). IYHA will reimburse all coaches for these costs (excluding travel cost).
Yes, IYHA needs the help of many volunteers to put on a successful hockey season! Jobs range from fundraising, to web support, to uniform cleaning, to assist in running tournaments. Squirt teams and above will normally need a team manager to assist the coaches. Please contact the Board of Directors and or your team coach to volunteer to help out. IYHA is only as strong as the volunteers that help run the association.